Having long maintained a strong defensive army for its size, in 2480 the acquisition of obsolete Federated Peacekeeping Forces equipment allowed the UHC to create a mixed BattleMech/Aerospace regiment dubbed the Messengers of Shiva as a rapid reaction force that rotated through the worlds of the collective. The Messengers only major engagement came in 2535 when the forces of Cassandra Varnay passed through the region, raiding Collective worlds as they attempted to outflank enemy forces. The Messengers of Shiva engaged and defeated the invaders on the Collective's capital world of Jodipur, humiliating their better-equipped opponents due to superior training and tactics.[2][3]

After the Collective formally joined the Federated Suns as a semi-autonomous state in 2540, the Messengers were absorbed into the newly-formed AFFS, eventually becoming the Islamabad Crucis March Militia. Despite their proud history, the centuries greatly eroded the traditions of the unit until the thirty-first century. Mirroring the increasing rise in nationalist in the still semi-independent Collective, the Islamabad CrMM saw a resurgence in caste-based politics which threatened to undermine the militia's organization even as the renewed interest in the history of Messengers of Shiva led to improved discipline and coordination.[3]

Roger established a system whereby each of the Marches within the Federated Suns conducted internal wargames every two years, with those wargames being inspired by the Martial Olympiad conducted by the Star League Defense Force every four years. Each March Militia was formed as an ad hoc brigade drawing on the winners from each planetary militia across each Combat Region. These ad hoc brigades then competed against each other at a March level to earn the title of "Best Prepared" March Militia within each of the three Marches.[1]

The wargames proved to be very popular and by 2750 the prestige that was associated with the "Best Prepared" title inspired troops in every combat region to give their best effort, with some commands making plans years in advance to try and ensure that they were ready. After the close of the 2754 games First Prince John Davion activated all of the combat region commands as federal troops and formed them into the March Militias; while this move was controversial and provoked a flurry of judicial cases opposing the creation of the commands, it also added twenty BattleMech-equipped combat commands to the AFFS in a single stroke. Many of the planets that provided troops for the games were resentful of having their best militia troops pressed into federal service, and it would be 2763 before the last of the cases worked its way through the courts. With the final ruling going in favor of Prince John, he then moved to allay many of the fears expressed by the planets involved by laying down specific instructions that the March Militias wouldn't be deployed outside their home combat regions except under a small number of very rare and clearly-defined exceptions.[1]

Like the other Crucis March Militias the Islamabad CrMM was well-equipped, much more so than the average Capellan March Militia or Draconis March Militia, and soon established a constant training regime. The Islamabad CrMM was highly active, leading to a readiness level greater than might have been expected of a militia formation, and acted as a mobile reserve for the Anjin Muerto Combat Region and a staging ground through which planetary militia soldiers could move on into the AFFS, while retiring AFFS personnel moved into the March Militia to pass on their knowledge and experience.[1] The Islamabad CrMM was one of ten March Militia brigades founded within the Crucis March in 2754, with the other nine being the Anjin Muerto, Bastian, Broken Wheel, Kestrel, Malagrotta, Marlette, New Avalon, Point Barrow and Tsamma Crucis March Militias.[4]

Elements of the Islamabad CMM were found on Cohagen when elements of the Third Taurian Lancers arrived. The two forces, inexperienced as they were, fought for several days and inflicted heavy collateral damage to the planet.[6]

During the FedCom Civil War the Islamabad CrMM detached a demi-brigade to Panpour to support the Loyalist forces. These forces were destroyed,[7] leaving the unit at approximately two-thirds of its nominal strength.[8]

Providing steady service for the Islamabad Combat Region, the Islamabad Crucis March Militia remained ready to repel invaders from Operation THUNDERSTRIKE and the Filtvelt Coalition or Malagrotta Cooperative. In December 3075 the Islamabad CrMM worked with the Remagen CrMM to establish a range of pickets on the Federated Suns worlds of Adelson, Agliana, Baranda, Estuan and June. Bolstering their combined strength with additional conventional regiments, the two CrMMs had effectively blockaded the entire Federated Suns/Malagrotta Cooperative border by the end of 3075, even as the Filtvelt Coalition were doing the same on their shared border with the Cooperative.[9][10] The Islamabad CrMM held the line, ready to meet whatever the Federated Suns' enemies might throw their way.[11]

Towards the end of the Jihad the Islamabad CrMM was reconstituted as a Light Combat Team, but the AFFS High Command ordered them to maintain two 'Mech battalions. These two forces were stationed on Lihue and Adelson in 3079 and were currently operating as two independent LCTs on the Filtvelt Coalition border.[11]

In 3085 the Islamabad CrMM LCT retained its two BattleMech battalions, allowing the Islamabad CrMM to deploy two combat commands. Essentially the Islamabad CrMM was two Light Combat Teams in one unit.[12] As of 3085 the unit was stationed on Great Gorge.[13]

When a mercenary BattleMechcompany in the employ of the Taurian Concordat raided Diefenbaker in 3137 the mercenaries believed they were looking at easy pickings. At the time, Diefenbaker was guarded by its planetary militia and a battalion from the Islamabad Periphery March Militia (the Islamabad Crucis March Militia having been renamed since the formation of the Periphery March. The single BattleMech lance within the DMM went out to meet the mercenaries in battle, but the Islamabad PMM dispatched a platoon of Infiltrator Mk. IIbattle armor suits transported by an affiliated company of Marten scout VTOLs to attack the mercenaries' grounded Union-class DropShip. Each Marten carried a single battle armor trooper, with the remaining battle armor troops accompanied a platoon of Musketeer hovertanks.[14]

The Musketeers and battle armor traveling with them launched a decoy attack on the mercenary landing zone, pretending to be part of a larger force; as the DropShip engaged that force with its weapons, the Martens overflew the site and dropped their dozen Infiltrators directly onto the Union's hull, inside the firing arc of the DropShip's weapons. As a result the DropShip was swiftly captured, although two of the Martens were destroyed during the mop-up action to clear the landing zone.[14]

As of 3062 the commanding officer was Leftenant General Carrie Zetso. Born of New Syrtis and thus considered an outsider, Zetso faced an uphill battle to gain the respect of her command, though her willingness to learn Urdu help overcome much of the suspicion. Ironically the family history of the Zetso's is entwined with the United Hindu Collective, one of her ancestors was among the Varnay forces crushed and imprisoned by the Messengers of Shiva. Scared as to their reaction, Zetso attempted to keep this fact a secret from her troops, only for the Duke of Panpour Pravin Singh to learn of it and use it blackmail her.[3]

As of 3067 the commanding officer was Major General Willard Martin.[8]

As of 3085 the commanding officer is Leftenant General Seth Gaddie.[13]

As the Messengers of Shiva, the unit was noted for its superior training and tactics, attributes which allowed it to humiliate the better-equipped forces of Cassandra Varnay. The centuries following their integration and transformation into the Islamabad CrMM greatly eroded the traditions and tactics of the unit; its individual members remained excellent fighters, but lacked the discipline to bond as a effective fighting unit. Performing well in lance and company-sized engagements, larger combinations quickly degenerated into chaos.[3]